Listening to the Wireless - February 1936
by ScarletCourt
Summary: The Bransons are having a quiet family evening listening to the wireless which leads to other activities later on in the evening. Same universe as my other AU period S/T fics. Part of 'The Bransons in London' series. This is a secret valentine fic for wslowry. No spoilers for S4.


**A/N:** This is a Secret Valentine's Fic for _wslowry_. Her prompt: _The Bransons have a chaste romantic interlude in front of their child or children (dancing, kissing, teasing, whatever the mood strikes), which elicits all sorts of 'eww' and 'gross' remarks from the kids. Maybe they have a private session later, maybe not... ;)_

Same universe as _The Journey to Happiness,_ _Branson and Crawley, Father and Child,_ and_ Moving Forward _but one where Sybil and Matthew live and Edith marries Sir Anthony in 3x03. Start of the new _In London_ series.

Thanks to _Tripp3235_ for a quick beta.

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. All Downton Abbey characters belong to Julian Fellowes and ITV. I'm just playing with them.

**Listening to the Wireless - February 1936**

"And now results from the winter olympics from Germany." The wireless droned while the Branson family minus the two youngest members gathered around to listen after dinner was eaten and the dishes washed and dried. "Germany defeated Hungary by a score of 2 to 1. Great Britain defeated Canada by a similar score."

"We told you, Da," said fifteen-year-old Nora in triumph. "We knew Great Britain would defeat Canada this round." She and her ten-year-old brother, Patrick, had been following the hockey scores from the Olympics after a friend of Patrick's from school who had recently moved from Canada introduced him to the sport.

"I have to say that I am rather surprised by this," said Tom, who was sitting in his armchair across from Sybil by the fire. "I was sure that the Canadians would win hands down like they do at every Olympic games."

While they were talking hockey, the wireless program moved to music next. On hearing a song she liked, Nora jumped up and stood in front of her father. "Da, will you dance this song with me?"

Tom started to move and looked past her to Sybil who was holding six-year-old Quinlan on her lap. "Do you remember the first time we danced to this?"

"It was the last Servants' Ball we attended at Downton in '24," said Sybil, smiling in remembrance while she tousled the hair of her middle son who like to have his mother's sole attention at this time of day.

Taking position with his daughter in front of the fire, Tom looked back at his wife. "I managed not to step on your toes once."

"Probably the only time when you danced something new." Sybil winked at him.

"Some of us didn't have a governess to teach us to dance, you know." Tom teased good-naturedly.

"Well, some of us don't pretend to know a dance when we are patently unfamiliar." Sybil shot back.

Dipping his daughter at this point, Tom looked up at his wife and smiled. "Touché!"

Nora looked at her mother from her position and rolled her eyes unceremoniously. "Mama, can Da finish his dance with me first?

"But of course, darling," said Sybil with a smile. She then gave Quinlan, who wanted his mother's undivided attention, a quick kiss.

Turning his full attention to his daughter, Tom finished the rest of the dance in silence and returned her to her seat at the sofa before approaching his wife with an outstretched hand. "May I have the next dance, Lady Sybil?" The wireless, a present from Matthew and Mary this past Christmas, gave them many more opportunities to dance outside of their recreation of the Servants' Ball every year.

"I thought you'd never ask," said Sybil, with a twinkle in her eye. After ensuring Quinlan was happily wrapped up in her lap blanket in the rocking chair, she took her husband's hand and took her position in front of the fire.

When an old familiar tune came on, they held one another in position and it felt like there were no others in the room. While Tom guided them around the hearth, they had eyes only for one another, gliding in the steps by instinct and familiarity. Once the song was over, Tom leaned in to give Sybil a kiss, which she returned heartily.

Shouts of "Ewww, Da!" "Must you?" "Mama!" brought Tom and Sybil back to their senses. They broke the kiss and Tom, blushing, leaned over to whisper into Sybil's ear. "We'll finish this later."

Sybil felt her cheeks warm in embarrassment and quickly nodded for she did not trust herself to speak. It was hard to believe that after nearly eighteen years of marriage, she could still be lost in a world of their own with him.

"Who wants to play a game of Go Fish?" asked Tom to divert the children. He had specifically picked a game that even Quinlan could play.

Shouts of "me" could be heard from all three children and Tom moved the coffee table to a position where each of them could have a side of the table while Patrick retrieved the deck from the mantle.

"Did you want me to help you, Quin?" asked Sybil.

"No, thank you, Mama." Quinlan shook his head solemnly while he moved to his side of the coffee table. "I can play this."

"Very well then," said Sybil. "Deal me a separate hand, Patrick."

* * *

After Patrick was asleep and Nora went to her room, Sybil went to check on the soon to be two-year-old twins while Tom went to fill the coal bin. She then joined Tom in front of the fireplace once she knew her cherubs were still tucked in their beds. Before Sybil could sit down, Tom cleared his throat and gave her a look. "I believe we have some unfinished business, Lady Sybil?"

"Why, Mr. Branson, I do believe you are correct." Sybil smiled widely at her husband and joined him at the hearth.

"Now where were we?" asked Tom with a cheeky grin.

Once they were in their dance positions, Sybil leaned in. "Right here." She then covered his mouth with hers. Tom returned the kiss and it quickly deepened. The wireless was still on so a bit of romantic music wafted through the air though neither Tom nor Sybil noticed. Soon Tom was nuzzling Sybil's neck and his hands began to work on the buttons at the back of her dress. So intent were their attentions on one another that neither heard Nora open her bedroom door.

"Some might think you two are newlyweds the way you carry on." Nora spoke loudly on her way to the privy all the while shielding her eyes dramatically with her hand. "Please kindly take that to the privacy of your own bedroom."

Tom and Sybil nearly jumped out of their skin when they heard her. When Sybil collected her wits a moment later, she retorted, "Well, some people might actually stay in bed once they get in it."

Nora gestured with her hand to show that she wasn't going to listen to scandalous people before closing the privy door.

"I suppose we ought to take our eldest daughter's advice and take this to the privacy of our bedroom." Tom smiled and stole another kiss from his wife before adding, "Just let me do the final check of the flat."

Sybil nodded and returned his smile before gathering the single piece of clothing that had been discarded on the floor, Tom's tie, before Nora had so rudely interrupted them, and turned off the wireless.

Before long, Tom joined his wife in their bedroom and carefully closed the door.

Sybil looked up when she heard Tom enter the bedroom. "Nora back in her room?" Sybil had taken off her shoes and stockings and was working on the buttons at the back of her dress.

"Yes, but not before she give me a dramatic look." Tom chuckled as he took off his shoes. "That girl ought to be on stage with the way she carries on." Seeing his wife struggle with the buttons, he made a beeline to help her after he was done.

Sybil looked over her shoulder while Tom released the buttons one by one. "It's all the cinema she's seen over the years." Since moving to London, the Bransons had become avid cinema goers since it was inexpensive entertainment for the family and there was no Dowager Countess to hold disdain for family members enjoying something for the masses. Sybil and Tom had gone once in the first year of their marriage when the lived in Ireland, but when they could barely put food on the table, it didn't seem right to spend it on something so frivolous. With a smirk, Sybil added, "Thank goodness the others were all asleep or we would have gotten a chorus." She then stepped out of the dress.

"Well, they're all in their beds and we're in our room now." Tom then moved Sybil's hair aside and kiss her neck where it joined her shoulder. "Let's continue where we left off."

"Mmmmm," Sybil sighed. "Was this where we left off?" She turned around to face him and leaned in for a kiss and started working on the buttons of his shirt. Before long, Tom deepened the kiss and their tongues began an erotic dance of their own. Meanwhile his hands went roaming for the bra clasps at his wife's back. With an expert flick, the eyes and hooks were separated. Sybil briefly stopped the unbuttoning to drop the bra on the floor and broke the kiss. Before long they were in bed naked under the covers and kissing fervently.

At first, Sybil was lying on top of Tom while she peppered kisses about his face and on his lips and she could feel his arousal straining against her tight. When Tom could take it no longer, he rolled them over in a tangle of sheets and blankets and moved to enter her.

Sybil pushed through the fog of pleasure and said breathlessly, "The French letter." Her last pregnancy had been difficult and the birth traumatic, so they had agreed to wait at least three years before trying again.

Tom let out a sigh and reached over to the nightstand for one and then struggled to open the package under the covers.

Seeing the frustration on her husband's face, Sybil smiled and took it from him with a kiss. "Let me while you check whether I'm ready." She then gave him a look and he crawled further down the bed to kissing her body all the way to her core. She opened the package and put it on top of the packaging so that it would be ready when he was.

When he found her swollen nub, he swirled his tongue around it and lapped at it while Sybil tried her best to keep still. It always felt so good and this was no exception. When Tom realized that Sybil could keep her control when he was only using his tongue, he upped the ante and stuck a finger into her centre and when he heard her whimper and whine, he started poking into her, while his tongue worked her nub. Soon Sybil was clenching the headboard with one hand as she neared her peak and had to stifle her scream with her fist when she came in a rush. Tom felt her warm centre moisten quickly and squeeze his finger in quick rapid pulses.

When Tom reappeared from under the blankets, he leaned down and kissed her with an intensity and she could taste herself on his lips. Tom then broke the kiss and asked in a voice husky with desire, "Are we ready?"

"Yes." Sybil then reached over for the French letter and reached down to his hardness and rolled it on without looking. She then guided him to her and he entered without further hesitation. Tom closed his eyes and hissed out his breath to keep in control as every nerve in his body felt like it was on fire. With one-year-old twins on a growth spurt, this was the first time in four days. He wanted nothing more than to push through to the natural conclusion right there and then but he also knew that it would mean it would be all over in under half a minute.

Meanwhile Sybil instinctively wrapped her legs about his hips for better penetration and that did nothing to help him. To buy himself a little time, Tom leaned down and kissed her and Sybil responded passionately. _Thank God, she had already gone because this is not going to last long._ Once he felt in sufficient control of himself again, Tom started to move, slowly at first, but once he felt confident enough, he sped up. Sybil felt the build up the faster Tom moved. Soon Sybil was moaning and whimpering. "Don't stop, please!" Tom desperately tried to keep it up, focusing his entire effort on keeping control. Leaning slightly to one side, Tom reached down to rub Sybil's nub to help her along because he knew he couldn't hold on for much longer. "Oh yes, Tom, yes. Right there." Sybil then unraveled beneath him and Tom plunged in one more time, let go "Oh God!" and spilt into her. Goosebumps appeared all over his body immediately there after. It was that good.

When they laid in one another's arms under covers in the aftermath, Sybil asked, "Think we can aim to do this again Friday for Valentine's Day?"

"Friday?" asked Tom. Kissing her head, he added, "That's the end of the week. I was hoping for sooner than that."

"We can always hope, but I received a call for an overnight shift as a private nurse for tomorrow." Sybil sighed, taking Tom's hands in hers and looking up at him. "I'll have to leave after tucking Quin in bed. Nora already knows and she's already promised to help with getting the twins ready for Mrs. Brown the following morning. Thank heaven, Mrs. Brown could take them for the day on such short notice. You'll need to wake the boys at quarter to seven." She was rambling by this juncture.

Tom's fingers played with Sybil's smaller ones. He then turned to look at her. "We'll manage. We always do. Don't worry about us." Bringing her hand up for a kiss, he added afterward, "Maybe I'll go in a little late tomorrow. They still owe me a couple hours from the other week."

"Hmm. I like that idea." Sybil moves to give Tom a quick kiss goodnight. "We best get some rest before the terrible twosome wake up for their overnight meal."

"Good idea," said Tom, before turning the lamp off and spooning his wife. "Good night, love."

"G'night."

**_Finis!_**

**A/N2:** Thank you for reading. I hope you're having a lovely Valentine's Day, _wslowry_! I think I hit most of the prompt elements. ;) I hope you liked it.


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